Social Navigation

Dealing with a Very Crowded Outfield and Other Bullets

I’m taking The Little Girl to her first dance class this morning. I’m a Dance Mom!

ADVERTISEMENT

The Cubs did some roster-movin’ late yesterday in advance of the game, though neither had any impact on the big league roster. Steve Clevenger, who’s been out with an oblique strain, saw his rehab stint come to an end, so the Cubs had to activate him from the 60-day DL. They did so, and he was optioned to AAA Iowa (where he already was – insert joke about him taking three days to report). To open up a spot on the 40-man roster for Clevenger, the Cubs moved Zach Putnam to the 60-day disabled list as he deals with the bone spurs in his elbow.

Travis Wood’s 2013 season has been something of a revelation, but it doesn’t sound like there’s some dramatic secret sauce change to his success. “Things are going good in that aspect,” Wood said, per Cubs.com. “I feel I’m more advanced as a pitcher. I’m not just up there throwing. I have a game plan and how I want to attack hitters and the offspeed stuff is better and command is better.” The secret to being a better pitcher? Pitch better.

Dale Sveum already perceives a potential issue when David DeJesus returns from the disabled list in a couple weeks (hopefully), because the outfield is already crowded. “You’re gonna have to see what happens because a couple of them might be part of our future,” Sveum said, per CSN, referring to Ryan Sweeney and Brian Bogusevic. “They’re left-handed hitters that are athletes, two-way players that can hit the ball out of the ballpark. So we’ll work it [out and] figure out the playing time.” It’s not an issue this week, as Alfonso Soriano can DH, and Sweeney and Bogusevic can each still start. But by this time next week, assuming a trade hasn’t already sorted things out, Sveum is going to be presented with the unenviable task of sorting out who should start and who should be benched (and that’s with Julio Borbon and Scott Hairston already on the bench – there is zero chance the Cubs keep seven outfielders on the roster, by the way, so something’s going to happen when DeJesus comes back, for starters). It’s not easy to bench a player like Soriano, who has the veteran status and the track record (and, well, the big contract), and it’s even harder when there are trade implications. I have a very hard time seeing the Cubs putting Soriano on the bench in favor of anyone in advance of the Trade Deadline. There may not be any trades to be had, but they’re going to want the option. And benching – or even platooning – Soriano would kill that option. Whatever happens, I suspect the glut will be solved come August 1.

It doesn’t sound like Dale Sveum thinks Starlin Castro’s troubles are behind him just yet. “I think the mechanics of his swing are probably the same,” Sveum said, per Carrie Muskat. “He’s mixed in some hits which are nice. That’s usually what gets you going sometimes. He’s still struggling a little bit with the fastball. The mechanics are the same. Hopefully, he keeps gradually understanding what he has to do.” In other words, Sveum would like to see Castro actually implementing whatever mechanical changes they’ve been discussing (“quieting his movement” before the pitch is probably one of them).

ADVERTISEMENT

Scott Baker, who’s been out all year as he recovers from Tommy John surgery last April (and then a setback in Spring Training), is throwing simulated games in Arizona, and Sveum told the media that his velocity has been good. Don’t get too excited just yet, though. He still is not expected back until August at the earliest.

Disclaimer

In addition to news, Bleacher Nation publishes both rumor and opinion, as well as information reported by other sources. Information on Bleacher Nation may contain errors or inaccuracies, though we try to avoid them. Links to content and the quotation of material from other news sources are not the responsibility of Bleacher Nation. Photos used are the property of Bleacher Nation, are used under a license with Getty Images, are used with permission, are fair use, or are believed to be in the public domain. Legitimate requests to remove copyrighted photos not in the public domain will be honored promptly. Comments by third parties are neither sponsored or endorsed by Bleacher Nation.

Bleacher Nation Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Bleacher Nation is a private media site, and it is not affiliated in any way with Major League Baseball or the Chicago Cubs. Neither MLB nor the Chicago Cubs have endorsed, supported, directed, or participated in the creation of the content at this site, or in the creation of the site itself. It's just a media site that happens to cover MLB and the Chicago Cubs.

Bleacher Nation is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.